Top 10 Misunderstood Road Rules

[darksky34]

interesting read, though i already could guess what most of them would be. learnt something too: i always thought you're meant to give way to whoever is on the right, in a roundabout but apparently there is no such rule, only 'give way to whoever is in first' ---> so everybody, first in first served! That's pretty stupid TBH. Should be a directional give way rule.

http://smh.drive.com.au/the-10-most-misunderstood-road-rules-in-nsw-revealed-20130205-2dvlc.html

link to top 10 list is in the article above.

[T4NK]

In a roundabout it is both, you have to give way to people to the right and to people that are already in the roundabout, for example if someone to ur left enters the roundabout as you are aproaching you must slow down and give way to them as they enter and exit it if need be.

[Cassbo]

Well they hit my top 3 gripes! I hope there is a special hell dedicated to people who don't keep left unless overtaking and people who drive around with high beams all the time

[darksky34]

@T4NK where in the document did it say give way to people on the right (did i miss that part?) it advises you 'on entry' 'on turning left' 'on turning right' etc etc...but never once mentions give way to people on your right - ONLY to give way to people already in. of course, i may have misread it.

@Matt would you be angry if i was in the right hand lane doing 70, when the limit is 70?

[bored33]

@T4NK where in the document did it say give way to people on the right (did i miss that part?) it advises you 'on entry' 'on turning left' 'on turning right' etc etc...but never once mentions give way to people on your right - ONLY to give way to people already in. of course, i may have misread it.

@Matt would you be angry if i was in the right hand lane doing 70, when the limit is 70?

I think it is more people who just stay in the over taking lane for no reason at all and holds up people who go a little faster than the speed limit (lets be realistic here, I'm sure everyone travels a little faster than the speed limit from time to time).

But it is quite annoying when you want to over take but the people in the right lane just don't budge at all. They drive side by side the car in the left lane (and I am sure some people do this just to piss off other drivers).

Nothing wrong with trying to over take doing the speed limit, but if you are not over taking then just pop back into the left lane. Just let people who speed go by you and pray there is a HWP up ahead and giggle when it happens.

Edit: Just to add: it is also illegal to "disrupt" the flow of traffic.

[D_I_F]

These rules are just common sense.. They have always been around, people are just to silly to learn them..

[BlackTemplar]

These rules are just common sense.. They have always been around, people are just to silly to learn them..

i think this thread was a good idea, good to see the RTA being pro active about stuff like this, not everyone thinks to check road rules on the rta website. How many older drivers dont even use the internet. its like the rules about indicating at a roundabout, the rules changed 10-12 years ago, but they made a big deal about it recently because alot of people werent following the rules (and still dont)

I dont trust older drivers because they most likely got their license when there were few rules and regulations and are the biggest culprits with rules like roundabouts. When I was on my Ls back in 2004, I had a couple of lessons with a driving instructor, he spent at least half an hour going through blind spot basics, and another half an hour going through roundabouts and the rules.. 2 of the guys at work got their motorbike license back in the day when all you had to do was rock up and they got it on the spot. No learners course, no tests (driving or computer), no Ls, no Ps, no learners handbook to read. just a case of here you go, have a license, no questions asked.

[Cassbo]

@Matt would you be angry if i was in the right hand lane doing 70, when the limit is 70?

Angry is a strong word, but I wouldn't have pleasant thoughts. The only redeeming factor would be that I remind myself that what you are doing is perfectly legal albeit a little selfish

Every day I drive to work on a stretch of road that is 90 km/h and clearly signposted "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" (Mona Vale Rd for the locals). Yet twice a day you get some mouth breather in the right hand lane doing below 80 km/h, creating a moving road block...

Yes I'm mad, I'm glad you asked

[Marsss]

I dont trust older drivers because they most likely got their license when there were few rules and regulations and are the biggest culprits with rules like roundabouts. When I was on my Ls back in 2004, I had a couple of lessons with a driving instructor, he spent at least half an hour going through blind spot basics, and another half an hour going through roundabouts and the rules.. 2 of the guys at work got their motorbike license back in the day when all you had to do was rock up and they got it on the spot. No learners course, no tests (driving or computer), no Ls, no Ps, no learners handbook to read. just a case of here you go, have a license, no questions asked.

What era and what country were these people living in?... it surely wasn't Australia...

[BlackTemplar]

What era and what country were these people living in?... it surely wasn't Australia...

yup, the guys at work are in their 40s and 50s, so not really that old....

It is also regional australia, the rules used to be alot more lax back in the old days

[luke gtr]

yup, the guys at work are in their 40s and 50s, so not really that old....

It is also regional australia, the rules used to be alot more lax back in the old days

my aunty was a similar story, had to drive the local police commander down to the shops to get his pack of ciggas.

here you go, license.

[D_I_F]

i think this thread was a good idea, good to see the RTA being pro active about stuff like this, not everyone thinks to check road rules on the rta website. How many older drivers dont even use the internet. its like the rules about indicating at a roundabout, the rules changed 10-12 years ago, but they made a big deal about it recently because alot of people werent following the rules (and still dont)

I dont trust older drivers because they most likely got their license when there were few rules and regulations and are the biggest culprits with rules like roundabouts. When I was on my Ls back in 2004, I had a couple of lessons with a driving instructor, he spent at least half an hour going through blind spot basics, and another half an hour going through roundabouts and the rules.. 2 of the guys at work got their motorbike license back in the day when all you had to do was rock up and they got it on the spot. No learners course, no tests (driving or computer), no Ls, no Ps, no learners handbook to read. just a case of here you go, have a license, no questions asked.

Oh I'm not saying its a bad idea. It's good that they try and promote these things. Most of it is just common sense from my point of view I guess it's different considering the area I work in I've had to deal with them a lot.

I just can't stand that roundabout rule will never use it will cause more problems if anything.

Just last week I was doing a uturn around a round about indicating around I was in my truck mind you so not going fast but had a lady pull straight out in front of me from my left. She's very lucky I pulled up about 15cms away from her drivers door otherwise would have been some serious damage to her car bullbars but had I followed this stupid law and indicated left it could have been much worse for me/her.

[34GeeTeeTee]

Well they hit my top 3 gripes! I hope there is a special hell dedicated to people who don't keep left unless overtaking and people who drive around with high beams all the time

I copped this twice yesterday on exactly the same bit of road!!! Both were old and both doing around 65 in an 80 zone..... And i couldnt gate them as i had just been for a rego inspection with plumb back setup lolz

[darksky34]

Angry is a strong word, but I wouldn't have pleasant thoughts. The only redeeming factor would be that I remind myself that what you are doing is perfectly legal albeit a little selfish

Every day I drive to work on a stretch of road that is 90 km/h and clearly signposted "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" (Mona Vale Rd for the locals). Yet twice a day you get some mouth breather in the right hand lane doing below 80 km/h, creating a moving road block...

Yes I'm mad, I'm glad you asked

haha yeah i'm actual a local of that area too, so i know what you mean. and yes i totally understand what you mean, I often feel the rage building when driving....but then again I'll have to admit, as bored33 said, that of course from time to time i may go over the limit. on the other hand let's say lane cove rd (for the locals again) if i'm going at 70 and that's the limit and it's not signposted to keep left, then i really see no problem going at 70 in the right lane (out of 3 lanes) as nobody should be going above 70 anyway. so, that may be selfish but who's more selfish; me, doing the limit (and nothing wrong, really) or the speeding X5/pajero/evoque who could cause an accident down the road?

[GTR-N1]

Springwood is a town of geriatrics on 10Km-Licences > odd Rip-Van-Winkle goes around the roundabout anticlockwise > DO NOT COME HERE!

Even if a copper pulls over an oldie for such an infringement, the offender will of course deny it, because he/she won't have remembered doing it!

Springwood has its own RTA (RMS) where staff are used to talking loud - and talking slow. Hearing Aid + Spectacle businesses go gangbusters.

[GoldZilla]

Another factor when discussing what speeds we travel in (whether it's in the right-hand lane or not) is this: do people actually KNOW that their speedometers are NOT 100% accurate? People might think they are doing, say, 60km/h because their speedo says that they are, but their actual road speed is more likely to be closer to 54-57km/h.

Last I heard, the ADRs allow for up to 10% inaccuracy, as long as it's not reading slower than the actual road speed - i.e. your speedo can read 60km/h when you're actually doing 54km/h, but it cannot read 60km/h if you're actually doing 66km/h. If you've got a GPS navigation device handy, see if it can display road speed and check how accurate your speedo is - if you don't have a GPS unit, there are a few smartphone apps (both Android and iOS) that can offer a semi-decent alternative. A change of wheel/tyre size (or even keeping exactly the same sized tyres but buying from a different tyre manufacturer) can affect the accuracy of your speedo.

That also leads me to wonder this: now that I use the M4 a fair bit to get out towards Penrith, I often see cars going past me while I'm doing the speed limit. Assuming the same inaccuracy in a majority of the cars I see (mostly standard cars), surely these people KNOW they are speeding by a fair chunk - it's gotta be indicating 120-130km/h, if not more! How often do you see these guys pulled over later on down the road? Very rarely.

[34GeeTeeTee]

Another factor when discussing what speeds we travel in (whether it's in the right-hand lane or not) is this: do people actually KNOW that their speedometers are NOT 100% accurate? People might think they are doing, say, 60km/h because their speedo says that they are, but their actual road speed is more likely to be closer to 54-57km/h.

Last I heard, the ADRs allow for up to 10% inaccuracy, as long as it's not reading slower than the actual road speed - i.e. your speedo can read 60km/h when you're actually doing 54km/h, but it cannot read 60km/h if you're actually doing 66km/h. If you've got a GPS navigation device handy, see if it can display road speed and check how accurate your speedo is - if you don't have a GPS unit, there are a few smartphone apps (both Android and iOS) that can offer a semi-decent alternative. A change of wheel/tyre size (or even keeping exactly the same sized tyres but buying from a different tyre manufacturer) can affect the accuracy of your speedo.

That also leads me to wonder this: now that I use the M4 a fair bit to get out towards Penrith, I often see cars going past me while I'm doing the speed limit. Assuming the same inaccuracy in a majority of the cars I see (mostly standard cars), surely these people KNOW they are speeding by a fair chunk - it's gotta be indicating 120-130km/h, if not more! How often do you see these guys pulled over later on down the road? Very rarely.

Partners 2011 Golf GTi is exactly 6km out and VW say they are all the same I know my R34 is about 1km out but i assume its the tyre size being 1% off stock maybe...

[GoldZilla]

LOL, my Stagea's speedo is more accurate with 18" wheels and 245/40 tyres than it was with the factory 16'' wheels on 225/50s.

[ianjb]

Correction: A previous version of this article referred to drivers making 360-degree turns. This has been clarified as U-turns.

Errrrrm no, this is called a doughnut, and they are illegal.

[darksky34]

ahahha the debate in the comments section about the 360 turns was hilarious